They Caught Fire
by OpheliaMarie13
Summary: Cato can't believe the monster he became to win the 74th Hunger Games. Adelaide Cartwright was the only person who showed him kindness during the Victory Tour. Cato strikes a deal with the President; his life, her life, the Quarter Quell, and Panem are changed forever. Rated M for adult topics/situations and violence.


**This is the craziest pairing I've ever written. There will be steam, it will be slightly lemony. And there will be fluff, so much fluff that I might put cotton candy makers out of business. And there will be a lot of other stuff. Not sure if it will be emotional for you, but I tried to make things pretty rough for the characters. So here's the most out there crackship/non-cannon pairing I've ever thought of or written. Cally or Deto? Vote in the reviews. Also, review in the reviews. **

**This story will be broken into three parts, this is the first one. There will be sections within those parts, they will be long- as is this one. Here's part one.**

* * *

_-The Glance-_

Careers bring honor to their district. That's what they're born to do, trained to do, made to do. Cato wasn't afraid of the Hunger Games. He wasn't afraid to take out Thresh, not after he'd killed Clove. It was easy to shove Katniss into the dogs and Peeta jumped after her. The event was bloody, tragic, and had a single winner. The Capitol got over their star-crossed lovers as soon as they saw Cato cleaned up and in a nice suit chatting it up with Caesar Flickerman. His district loved him. His family was proud. Clove's parents mourned her, but thanked him for avenging her death. Girls flung themselves at his feet in ways that they hadn't before. He had more money than he could ever imagine. The world was his. Although Cato had never taken interest in fashion, women, or anything of that sort, his new life allowed it. He would bulk up and train as if getting ready for a new games, but then partied in the Capitol wearing the finest of clothes, drinking the oldest of wines, and screwing the loveliest of girls. One month before the Victory tour, he was warned. It was as though she were an ancient oracle or a seer. While a beautiful girl sat on his lap holding a tiny glass of Capitol-made alcohol as another girl walked across the bar to talk to him. Johanna Mason was a pretty girl. Sexy in a way, but not beautiful. Cato thought maybe she had her eye on him the way he had his eyes on her ass.

"Are you having fun?" Johanna had asked. Cato laughed and the girl on his lap kissed his cheek.

"What does it look like Mason?" He replied. She crossed her arms pushing her breasts up further in the short green number she had dressed in. "I love your dress by the way."

"You think this is your life?" She asked. "Wait till the Victory Tour. You think everything is fine until then. Until you have to look into the eyes of those who thought their daughter, brother, sister, son, student, cousin, best friend would be coming home." Each word she said had perfect diction and she spat them in his face. Cato didn't think that much of it.

"Death is a way of life." He said trying to dismiss her.

"What about the girl, the pretty blonde one? Glimmer. You didn't save her. Or the girl from four who was with her. Alice. You ran to save your skin. You avenged Clove, but what about them?" Johanna asked. Cato thought about it. "You killed a lot too. The boy from four, the boy from three, Thresh, Katniss, Peeta. Katniss volunteered for her sister. Her tiny sister. You've seen the interviews and the reaping tape. She's so small and frail and she thought that her sister might be coming home. You are going to go to District 12 and look Primrose Everdeen in the eye and think _I killed your sister_. And you are going to live with that for the rest of your life." And with that, Johanna Mason walked away.

"What a buzz kill." The girl on his lap sighed. Cato watched Johanna walk away thinking about what she said. "Cato..." The girl moaned. She grabbed his jaw forcing him to look into her pink eyes. She brushed her bedazzled cheek against his face and held her lips to his ear. "Let's go someplace where we can be alone."

"No thanks." Cato said pushing her off his lap. He left the club and took a train back home immediately.

...

Cato didn't come out very much at all. His house was big enough for him to stay in it all day. His parents trained children. "Work hard, and you'll be like our son Cato." They said. A killing machine, a monster, a murderer. The words that Cato called himself were sometimes worse. He watched the Games, his Games, night after night. Watching the way he killed with such arrogance made him see how awful he was. The way that the Capitol ate it up was worse. They made him want it, the victory and the glory. It was all he'd ever known. Clove could have been his salvation if she wasn't as cold hearted as him. After clingy slutty Glimmer was out of the picture and they were alone he decided maybe they could win it together. And if he didn't win, he wanted her to. Then Thresh had to kill her. And he killed her because of the way she talked about Rue. The little girl from eleven. Had Cato really wanted to kill her in the beginning? Did he really cut Peeta Mellark like that just so he could die a long and painful death? Cato's head swam in the thoughts of his horrid ways. They ate him alive until the Victory Tour. You worked the districts backwards skipping your own until you finished, then after a party in the Capitol your own District threw you a party. Cato didn't want that. He didn't want to start in District 12. He didn't want to look Primrose Everdeen in the eye and think _I killed your sister._ He didn't want to go. But he had to.

His stylists dressed him in a navy blue suit with a crisp white button down, no tie. He didn't expect what he saw. Starving children, people dying in the streets, coal dust coating the shabby homes. It was such a small district. _Probably because of the high death rate._ Cato thought to himself. Nothing was like this in District 2. The families of the star-crossed lovers were front and center. He looked to the family of Peeta Mellark. He knew it was his family because he had his mother's eyes, a darker blue than his father and brothers. His brothers looked like younger and older copies of him. A girl who had the near-same look as them was pulled from the crowd by Peeta's father. She looked like she could've been his sister, except her eyes were a brighter blue, not quite the deep cerulean gaze Cato had seen on Peeta's face.

"Thank-you for coming out today." Cato spoke. His throat went dry. He could feel the blue eyes of Primrose Everdeen on him. "Your sacrifices to the Games will be missed." A sob broke out in the crowd. It was Katniss' mother. "While I worked with him, Peeta seemed like a good person. He had a lot of morality." Another sob broke out. A softer one. One of Peeta's brothers wrapped their arms around a young girl standing nearby. "Katniss-"

"You killed them." A boy shouted out from the audience. Cato tried to continue.

"Their deaths-"

"You monster. You killed them both and you don't feel guilty." A dark haired boy stepped out of the crowd. Gale Hawthorne, Katniss' cousin. Cato recognized him from the interview tapes. Prim began to cry.

"Gale stop." She said sobbing. He stepped back and held Prim close. She cried into his chest. Cato watched her cry. Then she looked up. Her blue eyes hit his own and he felt the guilt in way he'd never felt it before. _I killed your sister. I killed your sister. I killed your sister. I killed your sister and I didn't even care._ Cato had to clamp a hand over his mouth to stop himself from saying sorry. His district would hate him if he did. The President wouldn't be happy with a victor apologizing to another tribute's family. Victors were supposed to symbolize hope and strength. If Cato apologized it would show weakness.

"Their deaths are mourned by the Capitol and they thank you for your children." Cato choked out ready to leave. Gale was so fast he barely saw him run up the stage and didn't realize what was happening until he felt the blood running down his nose and he hit the ground. There was a lot of screaming. Gale was pulled off Cato by a redheaded Peacekeeper.

"What the hell are you thinking Gale?" He asked him. The Peacekeeper pulled Gale off the stage and threw him back into the crowd. The blonde girl who hugged one of Peeta's brothers ran to him.

"Are you okay?" She asked holding his face.

"I'm fine." He said. She buried her face in Gale's chest and Cato was pulled off the stage. He was given an icepack. That was when he heard the whip. Cato ran to the window and saw Gale with his back already bloody. The girl who ran to him was being restrained by another Peacekeeper as she screamed. He ran out of the Justice building and to the Town Square. Prim's mother held her back as Gale's own mother shielded her children's eyes. The blonde girl screamed lunging forward, held back by the redhead. Prim screamed again as tears fell down her face. Gale let out a cry of pain. The girl escaped the arms of the Peacekeeper and was hit by the next lash across her face.

"Stop!" Cato shouted. The Peacekeeper did. "He doesn't need to be punished, I release him of all charges."

"Mr. Ludwig, this is beyond anything we've ever seen in District 12." Said another one stepping forward. "The punishment could be death-"

"I release him of all charges." Cato growled. He glanced at the girl as she desperately tried untying the rope that held Gale to the wooden post. When she did his body gave out and he fell to the ground moaning. She held his face repeating his name over and over trying to gain his attention. "It was a strong right hook, but I've dealt with worse. Surely you know that?" The Peacekeeper knew what he was inferring.

"No charges on Gale Hawthorne." He announced.

"Thank-you." The blonde sobbed. She and Katniss' mother helped get Gale to a house where he could be taken care of. Cato had to stay in District 12 overnight. If he left right away things might be taken wrong and rumors would spread. Cato visited the house of the apothecary who was tending to Gale. The blonde girl was there. She slept on a chair with her head resting next to Gale's on the table. He moaned every now and then. Sometimes it was Katniss' name. Sometimes it was "Delly". It was then that Cato remembered her face. Adelaide Cartwright. Peeta's closest friend.

"Hello." Cato said softly taking the chair next to her. She woke up and backed away. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Okay." She said softly. "I'm Delly Cartwright. Peeta was my best friend."

"I know. I saw your interview." Cato said. She didn't expect that. "I'm a monster. I watch my Games now, and I can't believe I did everything that I did."

"It's not your fault." Delly sighed. "You were brought up that way, at least you realize your mistakes."

"Thanks." He said shocked. Cato nodded toward Gale. "Are you two... coping together?" He hinted.

"He understands my pain." Delly shot back. "Nobody was as close to Peeta as I was. Nobody was as close to Katniss as he was. People said they'd get married, sometimes Peeta said the same thing about us."

"He loved Katniss. And Gale is her cousin." Cato said confused.

"Gale was too handsome to be Katniss' friend, not when she was in love with Peeta. People would assume it was an act. Peeta did love her, but sometimes he said if she married Gale, he'd marry me." Delly explained. "Now Gale and I mourn together." Cato didn't say anything.

"Is everyone here like this?" He asked. Delly furrowed her eyebrows together. He pointed to her thin frame. You couldn't see her ribs, but her collarbone was clearly visible.

"I used to be overweight." She said shaking her head. "After Peeta's death I stopped."

"Eating?" Cato asked shocked.

"Among other things." Delly sighed. "I can't sleep, and when I do all I see is my best friend being torn to pieces by mutated dogs. I'm never hungry and I can't focus in school."

"I'm sorry." Cato said. She wiped her eyes. He pressed his mouth lightly on hers for what could barely be called a second. If she'd closed her eyes, Delly might have thought it was the wind brushing against her lips. She blinked a few times, not believing what had happened. "Sorry." Cato repeated. He got up to leave. Just before he left he turned around to look at Adelaide. She looked up at him, with a soft kind-hearted glance and gave a weak smile. It was the only kindness he was shown in any of the Districts.

* * *

_-The Deal-_

The party at President Snow's mansion was grand. Beyond anything Cato had ever seen. The women here were better, classier and their cosmetic surgeries weren't quite as grotesque as others he'd seen. The silver suit Cato wore was similar to the one he had for his interview. But the fabric shimmered and his hair was groomed nicely. A few touches of makeup graced his face bringing out his best features and hiding the only bad one he had- dark circles under his eyes. While he was distracted and enjoyed the party, Cato couldn't stop thinking about the whisper of a girl Adelaide Cartwright. Johanna Mason's words found him in the dreams of what little sleep he could grasp. He thought about Primrose Everdeen comforting her mother and he felt badly about causing the whipping of Gale Hawthorne. Cato was sickened when he found out how the Capitol people kept eating all night. All he could think about was the pale collarbone belonging to a girl who couldn't bring herself to eat. And here they were forcing themselves to vomit to eat more. Sickening.

Cato danced with his stylist and that was about it. He wondered what Delly might think of the party. He imagined her in one of the beautiful dresses. Surely she wasn't a classic beauty- or any type of beauty really- but she wasn't unfortunate looking. With the magic of the Capitol maybe she could become perfect. Not that she wasn't to Cato already. He was lost in thought when a Capitol official led him to a private room. Cato didn't need the man to turn around to know that he was President Snow.

"Mr. Ludwig, I am so pleased that you came." He said thoughtfully.

"Hello President Snow." Cato replied.

"I was so worried that Katniss and Peeta would have won, that would've been awful. We couldn't have two winners, one would have to kill the other, could you imagine?" Snow asked.

"No sir, that would be terrible." He said.

"And that little stirring in District 12, you handled it very well." Snow said sincerely. "I was quite impressed. At first I was angry about the release of charges, but it's made the other districts quieter. They respect you." _No they don't. They hate me and fear me._ Cato thought.

"Thank-you sir." Cato said nodding his head. "So why did you bring me here if I might ask?" The president shifted in his seat.

"Cato, you are aware of the fact that you are- desirable to many in the Capitol." He said. It made Cato's skin crawl, as if something weren't quite right.

"You and I both know how cocky I am about having good looks sir." Cato replied. He was still a Playboy to the rest of the world.

"Then what I'm going to tell you will come as no shock I suppose." Snow began. "Other Victors have been deemed as wanted. Finnick Odair, Cashmere and Gloss Beau, just to name a few." Cato took a deep breath. "Mr. Ludwig, you may think that you are safe now that you've survived, but you have another task to carry out for me. When a Victor is liked, I give that Victor away as a prize or gift to those who can afford them. You are very much wanted and you will begin selling yourself as soon as your Victory Tour commences. You will be sharing a Bachelor Pad with Mr. Odair here in the Capitol. Do I make myself clear?"

"I, um..." Cato's throat went dry, his tongue was sandpaper in his mouth. _A prize or gift to those who can afford. Selling yourself. _

"Do. I. Make myself clear?" President Snow pushed.

"Yes... sir." Cat finally answered.

"Thank-you." The president said. "That will be all. You may return to the party." Cato turned to leave, but didn't.

"No." He said turning around. Snow glared at him. "I won't let you sell me. This is all I have left."

"Oh Cato, that's not true." Snow said smirking. He turned to a television on the left wall as it flickered on. "You have your family." Cato's father came onto the screen as his mother and her swollen stomach entered the room. "Live footage." The president said. Cato wanted to murder him. He clenched his hands into fists and slammed one on the table. "I wouldn't do that if I were you Mr. Ludwig. Fires and storms are easy to make. People die every day."

"It's that easy?" Cato asked. The president nodded.

"I wasn't lying when I said I had respect for you Cato." He began. "That is something rare for me. If you behave and play by my rules, you won't have a terrible life. I promise. Things will be easier. Just do as I say and your family will remain unharmed."

"That's how it works around here?" Cato spat. "No wonder so many Victors are orphans."

"But nobody suspects a thing." Snow finished. "And if they do, they join the parents." Cato thought about things for a moment.

"Kill them." He said. The president looked shocked. "You can kill my parents and my unborn sister. She's another Victor waiting to happen. My parents train Victors every day, they're more use to you than they are to me."

"You're bluffing." Snow stated. "District 2 does me plenty of good, three lives is nothing to me."

"Then make them nothing." Cato offered. "If you want to sell my body, you'll need better leverage than that." He started his way out of the room again.

"What do _you_ want?" Snow asked. He froze in his steps. "I could give you the moon if you really wanted it. Ask for something within reason and reach and it's yours. We'll make a trade, the desire of Capitol citizens in return for the desire you most want to fulfill."

"Anything?" Cato asked turning around. The president nodded. Cato fell into a seat and bean thinking. His mouth that was once dry, now salivated at a ridiculous rate. All he really wanted was his humanity. That would be impossible. And how does one ask for salvation? Unless...

"The clock is ticking." Snow taunted. "Make up your mind or I take away this chance forever."

"It doesn't matter what it is?" Cato asked. The president smirked.

"Personal desire always takes out the lives of others I see." He said laughing. Cato fumed at this.

"There's a girl." He said. Snow raised an eyebrow.

"A girl? That's what you want?" He asked. "You'll be getting girls if you take my offer."

"Not a Capitol woman." Cato said. "There's a girl in District 12."

"That could be difficult." Snow said. "You wouldn't have her all the time, only curing certain arrangements."

"I want her." Cato growled. "I don't care _how_, I only care _when_."

"This is the Victor that I like." Snow said. "The one who stops at nothing to get what he wants." He paused. "So who is she?"

"Adelaide Cartwright." Cato said. He tried to sound threatening, but when he was saying her name he couldn't.

"Isn't she a friend of the Mellark boy?" Snow asked.

"Was." Cato said.

"How did you meet her?" The president was now interested.

"In twelve, when I stopped them from killing the Hawthorne boy." Cato replied. "She was at the house of the apothecary who was caring for him."

"Then it might seem she already has eyes for him." Snow said.

"Do you want my body or not?" Cato snapped. "You don't usually try to talk someone out of something when they're getting the short end of the stick."

"As you wish." The president replied coyly.

* * *

_-The Arrangement-_

The last week of every month. That was the contract to which Cato signed his body away and the Cartwright parents signed their daughter away. During all other time, Cato was to live his normal life- as normal as he could be when he wasn't shipped to the Capitol to make dreams reality. The president sent officials to the Cartwright home and the situation was explained to Delly's parents, but not to her. The cover-up was that Delly was being sent to a "special home" to deal with her depression. This wasn't uncommon in Districts to send someone away, but they rarely returned. The president said if any speculation arose from Delly's situation, she would have to leave her home permanently. He almost wanted that to be the situation to begin with. But Cato didn't want Delly to feel that she was being cut off from her life, he didn't want to seem coldhearted, he wanted her to love him. The Capitol home he shared with Finnick had an extra wing built with her room. When costumers came to visit the wing was closed off. Cato would only get a week at a time with her, and for the last two days Finnick would most likely be there. The night before Delly arrived Finnick secretly informed Cato that he had a woman he loved. Annie Cresta, the mad girl who won the 70th Games. She was Finnick's arrangement; she lived, he was a prize. The world felt a little less big when Cato found this out, it also felt a lot more cruel.

Despite everything he said to the Peacekeepers to treat Ms. Cartwright with care and respect, she arrived by being thrown into Cato's house, blindfolded and hands tied together. Tears fell down her pasty face as Cato stepped outside to yell at the Peacekeepers.

"I told you not to do this sort of thing!" He shouted.

"She refused to move and kept making attempts to leave. Most of the time people could see us and we didn't want to make anyone suspicious." The first one said lowly.

"The blindfold and restraints were necessary, she couldn't see that we were taking her to a house and not a hospital." The second one added. Cato took his head into his hands and sighed.

"You will treat her better when she leaves." He growled before stepping back into his house and slamming the door. He heard the gasping and sobbing then. Cato looked around the foyer for Delly and found her curled by the staircase gripping the banister tightly. The blindfold was wet in some spots and clung to her face. The rope binding her wrists looked painful and Cato crawled across the floor until he came to her. Delly's breathing was slowing and her tears became silent. She really did look like she was insane. Delly wore a thin white frock, no shoes, and her hair hung around her face loosely. Cato slowly reached out to touch her and as soon as his fingertips met her arm Delly retreated, scurrying across the floor only to slam into the wall beside the stairs. She frantically looked around trying to hear for him. Cato slid over and reached out again. Delly tried moving but was trapped against the wall, Cato grabbed her wrists. Her panicked breaths were high-pitched, but Cato didn't tighten his grip. Cato, the President, and Delly's parents knew the truth. The rest of the world thought Delly was going to a mad house and Delly herself didn't know what was happening.

"It's okay." He said softly. She jumped slightly at his voice. "I won't hurt you."

"That's what the Peacekeepers said right before they ripped me from my mother's arms." Delly said shakily. Cato didn't say anything. He let her calm down for a moment. "Why am I here?" She whispered, barely audible.

"I wanted you to be brought here." Cato said. "You can't tell anyone the things that happen here. Not even your family. Everything must remain a secret."

"Why?"Delly asked quickly reaching out, and grabbing the collar of Cato's shirt.

"Your District thinks you've been sent to an asylum. All the Peacekeepers there know what's happening. So do your parents." Cato said. He never thought through how he would explain this to her. "This is an arrangement. The last week of every month this will happen, you'll live with me." Delly let go and sat for awhile.

"I don't want to be here." She said. "Even if I'm starving and living like nobody cares about me, I'd prefer that to _this_. Living in your house like some kind of pet or prize." Cato wanted to seduce her so badly. It would be so easy to force her tied arms around his neck and kiss her. But he didn't. Cato reached for her hands and untied the knot slowly, burns marked her wrists. She sighed at the relief and tensed up as he reached for her face and removed the blindfold. Delly jumped back when she saw his face. "You...?" She breathed. "I should've known. You always seemed like such a player on TV."

* * *

_-The Change-_

Delly ignored him. The first week was in July, she paid no attention to him and stayed in her room. In August Cato waited for her on the rooftop pool, she came out only to sunbathe. She was pale, the vitamin D made her glow. Delly watched him swim laps in the pool, never joining him. The last week of September was a vast contrast, warm, but windy to cool things off. She talked to him, he talked to her. They weren't friends, but they weren't strangers. Delly talked to Finnick on her last two days. Cato listened by the door.

"Why am I here?" She asked. Finnick gave it a long thought before he answered.

"Because Cato saw something in you." He said. "He made a deal with the President and now he gets to be with you."

"He wants us to be romantically involved." Delly said.

"Yes." Finnick answered.

"I don't even know if I want that to happen, there might be another guy." She said.

"You might change your mind." Finnick said. "He's a good person. I promise." Delly didn't say another word. The next day she left for home.

October was brisk, sunlight was wearing thin. Cato read stories to Delly from his library. Twice they fell asleep on the couch together. November was colder yet, the house was warm. Cato tried taking Delly out to dinner, she declined. He went out by himself thinking that maybe he could bring a girl home and have loud, passionate sex and Delly would hear them an get jealous. He didn't get intoxicated, and still got into a fight. He expected it to feel like nothing, having been in the Hunger Games and all, but it turned out the worst kind of pain was having shards of glass in your face. While stumbling home Cato made a mental note to never hit on a woman with any kind of ring on her left hand.

"Cato!" Delly screamed running down the stairs. She helped him into his bedroom where he pulled off most of his clothes. "What the hell happened to you?" She asked running her fingers over the cuts and already forming bruises on his chest.

"A guy thought I was hitting on his wife and then beat the shit out of me. Then threw a wine glass at my face." Cato said. He left out the part that he _had_ been hitting on the woman. "Just get the cream in the first aid kit, I'll heal in two seconds." Delly nodded and ran into his bathroom and came out moments later handing him the silver medical kit. She stood back while he applied the cream to himself and she could already see the marks fading.

"Cato, your face." She said running her hand on his jawline. There was a deep cut just above it, Delly could see the bits of glass. "We should get you to a hospital."

"No, I don't need the press to be covering another fight that I got into." Cato said. Her blue eyes filled with sympathy.

"Maybe I can try to get a few pieces out with tweezers. If there are still pieces left I'm taking you to a doctor." She said searching through the metal box. Delly pulled out a pair of metal tweezers and began picking out the glass and setting on a piece of gauze. She remained so focused on the cut that she didn't notice the rest of Cato. His eyes lingering downward glancing at the silky wine-colored cover-up she'd thrown on over her black lace underwear. Cato grabbed her hips and pulled Delly onto his lap. She glanced at him, eyes narrowed. "What are you doing?"

"Truthfully, I'm trying to seduce you." Cato said, still not looking up.

"Why?" Delly asked. Cato tugged at the sides over her cover-up, pulling them back for a clearer look at Delly's bra.

"Because I find you very attractive." He said brushing his fingers against her inner breast. She looked down and saw what he was doing, but didn't stop him. "I think you're a sexy woman and you were the only person who was nice to me on the Victory Tour. So, I'm sorry if I'm attracted to you and find it hard to restrain myself." Cato continued. He cupped her breast lightly in his hand and Delly grabbed his wrist.

"Stop." She said. He looked up at her. "How do I know this isn't how you treat all the other women?"

"Because you're the only I invite into my house. You can ask Finnick if you don't believe me." Cato said. Delly looked at the cut on his face and swiped it with the cream.

"All the glass is out. So that's good." She said changing the topic. "You'll be fine."

"Delly," Cato said looking at her. "Tell me if you want to. I will wait if you don't." She bit her lip.

"I went through this once with Peeta and Gale went through it once with Katniss." Delly said. Cato held her closer when she mentioned Gale. "I don't want to put him through it again with me."

"But what do you want?" Cato asked placing his mouth over her ear.

"I don't know." She said quietly. Delly pulled the edge of her cover-up back over her chest and left Cato in his bedroom alone.

...

Although the actual Games didn't begin until March, because this year was the 75th Hunger Games- the third Quarter Quell- there would be television broadcast of President Snow reading the card telling this year's special twist. Delly and Gale were friends, the death of Katniss and Peeta brought them closer. She wasn't phased by the Seam so she visited his house often. He was liked by her parents so he came to her house too. Delly's parents were happy Gale showed interest in their daughter, she never told them what happened at Cato's manor and they almost didn't want to know. She'd been in the woods with him once, Delly had good observation and Gale was good at making traps- they were the second best team. They planned on watching the Reading of the Card together, it wasn't even a question of yes or no. Their lives had been so effected by the Games that anything involving them became a team project. Delly's parents went to watch at Peeta's house, her brother at a friend's house. Prim invited them to watch at the Everdeen's house, but Gale knew Clara Everdeen was still recovering and declined. Later Prim and her mother were invited to the Mayor's house to watch with him and his wife, whom had apparently been friends with Clara when they were young. Gale didn't want to watch at his house, not with Posy constantly asking who Gale would marry now that Katniss was gone. Delly didn't need that kind of embarrassment. That, and his brothers were just as bad, not to mention his mother. Gale especially didn't want Rory blurting something about the Slag Heap, even if most of District 12 knew, he didn't think Delly did. And he didn't want her to find out just yet. So they planned to meet at her house.

"Hi." Gale said when she opened the door. Delly smiled.

"Come in." She said. He walked in and rubbed his hands together to warm up. Delly closed the door behind him. "I started a fire in the living room, so that should help keep us warm. And my dad finally got the television fixed, so we don't have to watch on the old broken one."

"That's nice." Gale said entering the small living space. The tiny fireplace offered a warm golden light, a vast contrast to the artificial blue-white light streaming from the TV. Electricity came on for only hours a day in District 12, but tonight everyone would be watching, so the power was on. "Why'd you leave the lights off?"

"Oh, it makes the TV run slower. If we use more than one device at a time they run really crappy." Delly explained. "So we'll just have to watch it in the dark."

"That's okay." Gale said sitting on the couch which was angled at the TV. He slowly got warmer and his fingers felt tingly as the feeling returned to them. Delly came out of the other room wearing a long, thick knit white sweater she hadn't been wearing before. She pulled the sleeves over her wrists and breathed into her hands, walking across the creaky wooden floor wearing nothing but knee-high black wool socks on her feet. She smiled before taking a seat a few inches away from Gale. "Aren't you cold?" He asked motioning towards her shorts.

"It's mostly my hands and sometimes my feet that get cold." Delly said.

"Here," Gale said moving closer to her and holding her hands in his. He was wearing gloves with the fingers cut off so his hands were fairly warm. Both of them stared at their hands, fingers knotted in each others'. They felt equally awkward and couldn't tell if they were flirting with each other.

"Thanks." Delly said after a moment. Gale leaned back into the couch and she curled her legs up resting her head on his shoulder. They watched Caesar rable on about past Quells before Delly broke the silence. "Gale?" She looked up at him and he glanced down. "Are we, like, on a date? I mean, do you like me?"

"I'm not sure." Gale answered thoughtfully. He stared into space. "Everything's happened so fast that I can't tell. I think it's too early to figure out my emotions. I'm still pretty numb."

"Okay." She said. "I feel the same way, I just wanted to make sure it was mutual."

"Yeah. We're just two friends hanging out." Gale said wrapping an arm around her shoulder, his other hand still held hers. Delly turned the volume up as President Snow came onscreen. The anthem played and Snow was followed by a young boy in a white suit holding a wooden box. The President gave a brief speech on the Dark Days, the laws of The Hunger Games and how that every 25 years the anniversary would be marked by a Quarter Quell; a glorified version of the Games with some sort of tie in to the rebellion. President Snow began with telling about past Quarter Quells.

"On the 25th anniversary, as a reminder that their children were dying of their choice to initiate violence, every district was made to hold an election and vote on the tributes who would represent it." He began.

"That's sick." Gale muttered. "Forcing people who to sacrifice."

"It must have been horrible know that you were chosen." Delly said softly.

"On the 50th anniversary, as a reminder that two rebels died for each Captiol citizen, every district was required to send twice as many tributes." Snow continued.

"Worse odds, 42 kids went in, one came out." Gale said. "And it was our very own Haymitch Abernathy."

"No wonder he drinks so much." Delly said. "It must be to drown his sorrows. I can't imagine watching 41 deaths, knowing that three people from your home died so you could live." Her stomach turned as the President cleared his throat.

"And now we honor our third Quarter Quell," The young boy in white stepped forward with the box, opening the lid. There were rows of upright envelopes, yellowed from age; enough Quarter Quell ideas for centuries to come. Gale tightened his grip on Delly as Snow pulled out the envelope marked with a clear 75. He ran his finger under the flap and read from the paper. With no hesitation he read, "On the 75th anniversary, as a reminder to the districts that brother turned on brother, and friendship was forgotten, family and friends of former and existing tributes will be reaped. Age limit will be lifted to 25."

The camera panned to the audience, their faces baffled and quizzical; trying to figure out what the President was saying. Delly figured it out first, throwing her face into Gale's chest. She began screaming, loud and long. Gale heard the muffled sounds and then realized what it meant. _Friends and family of former and existing tributes._ When Delly stopped screaming she was sobbing. Her throat felt raw, what was left of her voice quavered.

"It's just of Katniss and Peeta." She said sniffing between words. "Haymitch's family is dead, he has no friends." Gale stroked her hair. "I'm going into the arena."

"No you're not." He snapped. Gale held her shoulders so she looked at him. "I don't know how this will end up, but you are not going to leave Delly, you are not going to die."

"Gale," Delly said, voice thick. Her eyes were puffy and pink, cheeks stained with tears. "The only other girl that might possibly be reaped is Prim. I don't know-"

"Katniss had friends Delly, you won't be the only girl." Gale said. Delly clamped a hand over her mouth. "What is it?" He asked shaking her by the shoulders. Tears fell down her face as she looked him in the eye.

"They lifted the age limit to 25." She choked out. Delly broke into sobs, crying on his shoulder as Gale understood. He rubbed her back as she clutched the fabric of his shirt in her hand.

"We'll figure this out." He said. It was a hopeless promise.

...

Cato was watching and knew it was because of him. The President could kill Delly and Cato would still have to hold up his end of the bargain. Getting rid of her, his hope, and giving the Capitol a fun Quell all in one neat little package. Cato knew he had to see her, he'd be mentoring this year and maybe he could talk to her. Snow called later that evening to say that Delly wouldn't be visiting him anymore. Cato got into another fight. Only she wasn't there to fix him this time.

* * *

_-The Reaping-_

The Reaping day was terrible. It was terrifically hot for a day in March, nearly 102 degrees Fahrenheit. The stage had two roped off sections for the few possible-tributes. In the boys' section stood Peeta's brothers, Gale, Rory, and Delly's brother Ben. In the girls' section stood Prim, Delly, Leevy, and Madge. Effie wore a blue wig and a silver skirt with a matching jacket.

"Welcome, welcome." She said smiling. "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in you favor." Delly took a deep breath. "Ladies first." She scuffled to the first glass bowl and clawed around the four slips of paper before choosing one. "Adelaide Cartwright." She read. Delly felt the tears pooling in her eyes as she walked forward. Her throat felt thick, if someone asked her a question she wouldn't be able to answer. She could barely breathe. Effie drew the boy's name from the Reaping ball. "Rory Hawthor-"

"I volunteer." Gale said loudly. Delly choked out a sob.

"Well, well, well." Effie said leading him next to Delly. "And you are...?"

"Gale Hawthorne." He said looking straight ahead. "And yes, Rory is my brother." Effie seemed taken back by his sharp answer.

"Well then, go ahead you two and shake hands." She said. Delly and Gale didn't look at each other.


End file.
